Private European collection of exquisite motorcars to be offered without reserve at Quail Lodge auction

Bonhams' assembly of important automobiles for its 16th annual Carmel sale continues to attract the best of the best

Continuing with the steady news of remarkable early consignments for August's Quail Lodge Auction, Bonhams is pleased to announce the addition of a private European collection of exceptional Brass Era motorcars. Consisting of several important and noteworthy examples, the collection is to be offered without reserve.

The collection is led by a rare 1910 Mercedes 45hp 4-Seat Tourabout that is considered to be one of the finest in existence. Formerly part of collections owned by pioneering plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Samuel Scher and Seal Cove Auto Museum owner Richard Paine, Jr., this extraordinary automobile – regarded as having the most refined design of its time and employing a massive, well-built engine – is a landmark in automotive manufacturing history and comes with impeccable provenance.

From early Ohio maker Peerless, a marque legendary for its reliability, is the ex-Doris Duke 1910 Peerless Victoria Model 29 with coachwork by Brewster. Also previously owned by the Scher and Paine Collections (the latter for over 40 years), not to mention the famous American tobacco heiress, this eloquent motorcar owes the formal adaptation of its horse-drawn carriage-style body to Brewster & Co. – the prestigious coachworks of choice for New York society that was eventually acquired by Rolls-Royce.

A 1906 Autocar Type 10 Runabout, benefitting from the same provenance, also forms part of the collection. Established in Pennsylvania in the 19th century, Autocar gained a solid reputation for rugged, well-built automobiles that, with their superior shaft drive – among other distinctions, were also advanced. The Type 10, as the company's most successful model, epitomized the very best of these attributes and this model is an excellent representation.

The 1910 Buick Model 10 Touring, again from the finest collections of Brass Era cars in the Western Hemisphere, was not just the best selling Buick model but one of the essential automobiles in General Motors' foundation. Attractive, well appointed and comparatively both fast and expensive, this example is an early national award winner and impressive throughout.

Distinctive and rarely seen is the New Jersey-made 1908 Sharp Arrow Runabout. With just 25 believed to have been made – from a manufacturer that existed for only one year – and a fraction of those accounted for today, this rakish open wheel car was built for one purpose: speed. As the direct ancestor of the Mercer Runabout, this particular Sharp Arrow was once part of the Paine Collection and represents a unique period of American automotive history.

Much more "modern" than its Brass Era brethren from the same collection is an imposing 1929 Packard 640 Custom Eight Roadster. Brimming with design features and blessed with an impressively powerful and smooth 8-cylinder engine delivering 105hp, the big, beautiful car is conspicuous in the Great Gatsby-esque style of the Roaring Twenties and embodies all the excess and refinement of that era.

Truly jewels in the crown of any collection, these outstanding automotive pioneers will form a unique place at this summer's Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction, held in conjunction with The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering.

With limited time and space remaining, owners of important motorcars interested in consigning to this anticipated mid-August sale are encouraged to contact one of the following Bonhams motoring specialists posthaste: Mark Osborne • 415-503-3353 • Bonhams' assembly of important automobiles for its 16th annual Carmel sale continues to attract the best of the best

31 May 2013 – San Francisco – Continuing with the steady news of remarkable early consignments for August's Quail Lodge Auction, Bonhams is pleased to announce the addition of a private European collection of exceptional Brass Era motorcars. Consisting of several important and noteworthy examples, the collection is to be offered without reserve.

The collection is led by a rare 1910 Mercedes 45hp 4-Seat Tourabout that is considered to be one of the finest in existence. Formerly part of collections owned by pioneering plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Samuel Scher and Seal Cove Auto Museum owner Richard Paine, Jr., this extraordinary automobile – regarded as having the most refined design of its time and employing a massive, well-built engine – is a landmark in automotive manufacturing history and comes with impeccable provenance.

From early Ohio maker Peerless, a marque legendary for its reliability, is the ex-Doris Duke 1910 Peerless Victoria Model 29 with coachwork by Brewster. Also previously owned by the Scher and Paine Collections (the latter for over 40 years), not to mention the famous American tobacco heiress, this eloquent motorcar owes the formal adaptation of its horse-drawn carriage-style body to Brewster & Co. – the prestigious coachworks of choice for New York society that was eventually acquired by Rolls-Royce.

A 1906 Autocar Type 10 Runabout, benefitting from the same provenance, also forms part of the collection. Established in Pennsylvania in the 19th century, Autocar gained a solid reputation for rugged, well-built automobiles that, with their superior shaft drive – among other distinctions, were also advanced. The Type 10, as the company's most successful model, epitomized the very best of these attributes and this model is an excellent representation.

The 1910 Buick Model 10 Touring, again from the finest collections of Brass Era cars in the Western Hemisphere, was not just the best selling Buick model but one of the essential automobiles in General Motors' foundation. Attractive, well appointed and comparatively both fast and expensive, this example is an early national award winner and impressive throughout.

Distinctive and rarely seen is the New Jersey-made 1908 Sharp Arrow Runabout. With just 25 believed to have been made – from a manufacturer that existed for only one year – and a fraction of those accounted for today, this rakish open wheel car was built for one purpose: speed. As the direct ancestor of the Mercer Runabout, this particular Sharp Arrow was once part of the Paine Collection and represents a unique period of American automotive history.

Much more "modern" than its Brass Era brethren from the same collection is an imposing 1929 Packard 640 Custom Eight Roadster. Brimming with design features and blessed with an impressively powerful and smooth 8-cylinder engine delivering 105hp, the big, beautiful car is conspicuous in the Great Gatsby-esque style of the Roaring Twenties and embodies all the excess and refinement of that era.

Truly jewels in the crown of any collection, these outstanding automotive pioneers will form a unique place at this summer's Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction, held in conjunction with The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering.

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com